Zebra Youth is expanding its short-term housing for LGBTQ+ youth

Zebra Youth board member Bobby Hermida (L) and executive director Heather Wilkie. (Photo by Caitlin Sause)

ORLANDO | Zebra Youth, a local nonprofit focused on providing services to LGBTQ+ youth, is expanding its short-term housing for queer youth this month thanks to a grant from the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida through its Brighter Days initiative.

Zebra Youth, who has been providing housing assistance to LGBTQ+ youth in need since 2013, has added 12 additional units in a newly renovated building that has been designed for dormitory-style apartment living. The housing units consist of 12 rooms with private bathrooms and a shared area with a full kitchen. There is no cost to the youth in the program.

The program provides housing for up to two years with one year in the temporary housing being average. The space does not allow for pets, with the only exception being service animals.

The new units help to expand Zebra Youth’s Bridge Housing program to 23 total beds that serve LGBTQ+ youth ages 18-24.

“Everyone who comes to us for housing assistance will be assigned a case manager and they will take part in an assessment that will assess their needs,” says Heather Wilkie, Zebra Youth’s executive director. “If they are living in an unstable environment or if they’re experiencing homelessness, then they could qualify for the program. It’s based on need, so of course we have a waitlist since unfortunately in Central Florida there is an affordable housing crisis.”

Zebra Youth currently has 45 youth on a waitlist for its short-term housing program.

According to the Trevor Project, 28% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives — and those who did had two to four times the odds of reporting depression, anxiety, self-harm, considering suicide and attempting suicide compared to those with stable housing.

Bobby Hermida came to Zebra Youth’s Bridge Housing in 2018, first utilizing the nonprofit’s mental health counseling for his alcohol and drug addiction.

“I got to a point where I hit rock bottom in my alcoholism and active addiction and needed support,” Hermida says. “My case manager was like this might be a good time to cross over into our housing program. Zebra has provided a strong foundation which has allowed me to create the connection between sobriety and recovery, and I’ve been able to stay sober and clean for almost seven years now.”

Hermida, who is now also a board member for Zebra Youth, is living on his own with a job and his own transportation, something he attributes directly to the assistance of Zebra.

“I have a lot of gratitude for the experience that I had and I hope that the youth that come through the program are able to feel that gratitude as well,” he says. “I want them to know that they are loved and supported in their experience.”

Zebra Youth has assisted more than 400 youth since beginning its housing initiative, seeing about 40 individuals a month, and that is growing, Wilkie says.

“We were very fortunate to receive that major grant in Central Florida,” she says, “but what that pays for is the rent and some of the utilities. So, they do need additional stuff when coming into the program.”

To assist with additional needs once they have housing, Zebra Youth has set up an Amazon Wishlist for anyone who can and wants to help. The list contains everyday items needed around the house such as trash bags, toilet paper, towels, cleaning supplies, pantry items and more.

“The Amazon Wishlist is great because the items are delivered right to Zebra’s Drop-in Center and we can give them out directly to the youth,” Wilkie says.

You can also donate gift cards for groceries, transportation and food delivery, as well as monetary donations directly to the organization through its website.

Zebra Youth has several fundraisers coming up in 2025, the first of which will be a bowling event in February called Strikes For Stripes.

Part of Zebra Youth’s fundraising is to purchase a new passenger van.

“When choosing the area for our youth housing, we look for locations on the bus line and we are able to provide a certain number of bus passes,” Wilkie says. “But we would like to be able to provide transportation to those in need to get back and forth to appointments, assist with moving in, things like that.”

Zebra Youth’s Bridge Housing program is one of several assistance programs the nonprofit offers, including providing short-term rental assistance for LGBTQ+ youth and housing resources for youth living with HIV, to help them be able to stand on their own.

“The idea is that we want youth to be self-sufficient,” Wilkie says. “So we work with them and offer resources that help to get them there. That’s what we did for Bobby and that’s what we hope to do for any youth that walks through our doors.”

For more information on Zebra Youth’s housing programs, visit ZebraYouth.org/programs-services/housing. If you would like to assist by donating, go to ZebraYouth.org/take-action/donate.

Photos by Caitlin Sause.